From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near. ””
Matthew 4:17 NLT
“Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News. “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!””
Mark 1:14-15 NLT
John the Baptist was imprisoned, and Jesus’ message changed. Now, without John as God’s megaphone, Jesus picked up where John had left off.
“In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near. ””
Matthew 3:1-2 NLT
John’s message was simple. It included two points.
1. John announced the Kingdom of Heaven.
2. John demanded repentance from sin.
Jesus’ new message included these two components, but He also added a third.
3. Jesus called for belief in the Good News.
The way Matthew words it, “from then on,” it sounds like this was a repeated message of Jesus when He was with the crowds.
1. See the Kingdom of Heaven
2. Repent of your sins
3. Believe the Good News
This comes a year and a half into Jesus’ ministry. If Jesus’ ministry and message had changed at this point, what did it look like for that first 18 months?
“Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region. He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.”
Luke 4:14-15 NLT
It seems that Jesus might have been spending most of His time going from town to town, visiting the local synagogues, opening the scriptures and teaching the truth about Himself, announcing that He was Messiah.
This was the Good News He shared when He taught, and it was accompanied by John’s widely preached message announcing the kingdom of heaven and the call to repent.
This message has hope, expectancy, and urgency.
The Kingdom of Heaven is here!
This message has recognition of personal responsibility.
Repent of your sins!
This message has a call to change of heart and mind.
Believe the Good News!
This blogpost originally appeared at: The Kingdom Message Jesus Preached – Sonlife is based upon Sonlife’s study, Knowing Him / A 50 Day Study in the Life of Christ / Day 16
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